How High Do Eagles Fly?
by AlienaCooper
Summary: A new bounty, with no picture and only an alias to go by, but the bounty’s big. So of coarse our favourite bounty hunters go after it. Though nothing ever really goes according to plan. SpikeXOC- this is NOT a love story! M for later chapters.
1. Chasing Shadows

A/N: This is purely an experiment- I don't even know if I'm going to finish it.

Chapter One:

Chasing Shadows

A tall man in a blue suit and big brown hair was on a stool in a dingy bar. Around him people kept eyeing him mistrustfully. He didn't fit in there, but he was doing no one any harm. While he kept it that way, he was safe.

As for Spike himself, he just sat there staring into space, his eyes glazed over, a cigarette smoking away softly between his fingers, a drink in his other hand. He kept alternating between the two absent mindedly.

He was still frustrated by the day's events.

As he signalled to the bar tender for another, he let his mind cast over what had happened.

*

That inane bounty hunter show was on, the one where the white girl wore next to nothing and looked like some traditional blonde bimbo and the black man had one of the worst Spanish related accents imaginable. Spike was barely paying attention to it, all he wanted to know was what bounties were on offer.

"Oooh!" squealed the girl, "this is an unusual one."

A wrap sheet popped up on screen, with a sketched picture beside it. The picture was of a white woman, wearing sunglasses, and a cap. There was no detail to her whatsoever. The wrap sheet had her down only by an alias, 'Eagle'.

"There is very little known about this bounty," beamed the girl, "but there's a big reward on her head! What is it?"

The man took over. "Twenty three million woolongs, amigos, last seen on Earth," he announced brightly, "but careful, she's hard to catch! No one knows what she really looks like, because she either is in disguise or uses other mobsters to do it for her!"

"And she's a dangerous woman too!" the girl feigned shock, "attempted murder, murder, fraud, laundering, trafficking- my goodness!"

"The only defining feature that we know of, amigos, is that she has an Eagle tattoo-"

Spike turned off the tv. Faye walked in, yawning. She glanced over at him as he lit up a cigarette.

"Nothing?" she asked.

He shook his head, taking a long draft from the white stick in hand. "Unless you count Eagle," he commented, "and no one knows what she looks like… good on the cowboy who goes after her."

"Eagle? Isn't that about twenty million on her head?"

"Twenty three."

"What?! Spike are you insane?! With that amount of money-"

"We have no leads. Nothing. What do we do? Go and scour every planet in the solar system?"

"No…"

"Thought not."

He turned and lay down in the sofa, staring at the ceiling, listening to Ed singing about impossibilities and money. Nothing that child said meant very much. How she'd become a genius hacker was beyond him.

Faye scowled, crossing her arms. They were bordering the poverty line again, and her gambling wasn't exactly helping. She sat opposite him, lighting up herself. It always got frustrating when there was a drying up of bounties.

"Guys!" Jet's voice boomed in on the main room. Ed's ears pricked up as she looked up at him, Ein doing exactly the same thing. The two adults didn't even blink. "That big bounty, the Eagle woman-"

"Not you too!" moaned Spike, "we have no leads-"

"She's in Mars, New New York."

"And you know this because?"

"Police tip off, I've got a friend in the force. There's gonna be a heist at on the Martian bank."

Spike tilted his head back, looking at him. He rolled his eyes and sat up. "All right! All right, I'm in… that's too big-a bounty to pass up."

Faye smirked, just the same as she was when it involved money.

*

They landed, planned, armed and set up. By the time they had arrived on Mars, they had three hours to prepare to take in Eagle. Jet, Spike and Faye set up in the bank. It was a large spacious place, made of polished stones, the ceiling supported by old fashioned pillars, the windows were medium sized and high up, all the windows to speak to bankers were apparently seamless bullet proof glass, a little section on each booth could open to allow access to information from the customer.

As they had walked in Jet glanced around, eyeing the place for weaknesses. He frowned. "How the hell does this chick think she's going to get her hands on any money whatsoever?"

"Insider job?" asked Spike, shrugged, lighting up, ignoring the no smoking sign. The little security guard standing near by didn't seem to have the guts to point it out to him.

"Maybe…"

That had been an hour ago. They were still waiting around. There was nothing.

"Jet!" Faye snapped down the line, "what time did your contact say it would be?"

"In this hour," he promised, "they'll be here any-"

Outside they heard shouting. The three of them looked up from their posts, and took off for the outside. There was the shouting of thief, three coppers were yelling down their radios, and a grey van rushed passed them.

"They went round the back?" asked Faye, but the men had already taken off. Moments later they found themselves on their own vehicles, and took after the van themselves. Police cars were already on their trail.

Spike's eyes narrowed. No way was he going to give up a bounty that easily. He angled his ship and dove, straightening up only a few metres above the rest of the traffic, and just behind the van itself. He opened fire. Someone on the passenger side of van leaned out and opened fire on him.

"Tch," grumbled Spike, still firing away at the van.

"Turn 'em right!" ordered Jet, over the radio.

"Gotcha."

He angled the ship again as they approached the turning. The van took the bait turning onto an open road. Where Jet and Faye were waiting, parked at the end. The van noticed too late they slammed on the breaks as the two open fire on them from the other end busting the engine. The van turned it's side towards the two ships screeching to a halt, the trajectory turned it over first onto it's side and a bump in the road turning it onto its back. It came to a stop meters from the waiting ships.

Spike parked his, and climbed out of the ship, running towards the wreckage. In the back of his mind he could not help but think that the job had been a little too easy. If Eagle had been so elusive, why had she been so easily caught?

He reached the car the same time his team mates did. They pulled open the doors and pulled out the occupants. There were three, two men and a woman, dressed in fitted black clothing and wearing balaclavas. They had their hands up already looking sullen once they spotted the hand guns in their assailants hands.

Spike ignored the men, letting Jet deal with them, and focused on the girl. He grabbed the bottom of the balaclava and pulled it off her.

"Ow!" she shrieked, "what was that for?"

He squinted at her. He'd seen her before. "Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

She sighed. "Wendy Johnson," she replied.

"Not Eagle?"

"What? Why would I be that bitch?"

Spike scowled. He looked at Jet and Faye who looked just as surprised as he was. He knew it had been too easy.

The police arrived after about a minute, arresting the three of them, and handing of the meagre reward on the small fries heads.

As the three of them headed back to the Bebop, he played their story of in his head. Eagle was their boss, she had set up the heist, they were just the pawns. Originally she was meant to go herself, but three days previously she had changed her mind, having set up another job. She had sent the small timers instead.

The girl was convinced she knew there had been a tip off and had set them up. When pressed for the reason why she would want them to be caught, she clammed up. The two men were no more helpful.

By the time they reached the Bebop, they were where they had been in the first place. No leads on a big bounty, nothing to do, only they were no longer near the point of starving.

"I knew it," Spike snapped, "there was no point! I knew that had been too easy."

"Well at least we have enough money for food now," pointed out Jet, make a list, "anything you want?"

He frowned and stood again. "Some meat of some kind…" he stalked towards the door, his hands pushed into his pockets.

"Where are you going?" Jet frowned.

"I need a drink… don't wait up for me."

"All right…" Jet shrugged. Spike was strange as ever.

*

And there he was. He hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. Once he was paying attention again, he found he had bought two new cigarette packets and he was standing outside a dingy dodgy looking bar. Not that he cared.

He was fully aware of the looks he was being given by the local occupants, he didn't particularly care. He knew as long as he kept inconspicuous he would be left alone. He was also certain a lot of these people had bounties on their heads, but he was alone, there was no way he was going to take on thirty people, all likely to be armed to the teeth with god only knew what.

So he did what he could, drank his whiskey and smoked his cigarettes and lost himself to the haze of alcohol.

Behind him the door opened with a creak and a young woman walked in. The attention focused on her for a moment, then away again. She was a fairly unassuming person. Dressed in fitted hip hugging blue jeans, a light grey t-shirt with a caption written on it that no one could really make out, it was low cut showing a little cleavage. A black leather jacket was hooked onto her finger that she had slung onto her back. The woman herself was medium height, a curvaceous build of a generous bust, small waist and slightly wider hips, though her stomach was almost completely flat. Her complexion was a dark olive colour. Her features of wide almond shaped dark brown eyes, sloped nose and pouted rosy lips gave her away as being of earth's Middle Eastern descent. Her thick dark chestnut straight hair was cut to just brush her shoulders, and framed her high cheek boned face. She was fairly striking in appearance, it was her fairly ordinary clothing that made her appear somewhat dull, though clearly there those in the bar that recognised her.

She walked over to the bar, sitting a seat separate from Spike. She glanced at him and glanced at his drink. She smirked, and signalled to the bar tender.

"What'll it be miss?"

She pointed at Spike. "I'll have what he's having."

He looked at her, and raised an eyebrow. "It's whiskey."

"I know."

"Sure you can handle it?"

She looked at the bar tender. "I'm certain." The bar tender took the hint and walked off to get her drink. "I'm not as much of a push over as you probably think."

"It's your funeral."

The young woman just looked over at him, and rolled her eyes. As her drink arrived, she searched her pockets for something. She kept muttering curses, he looked over at her. She pulled out a lighter and lay it down, but still she looked. He rolled his eyes and held out the open packet to her. She looked up at him.

"Go on."

She smiled brightly, and took it and lit up, moving one stool over to sit beside him. "Thanks." She held out a hand. "Shaheena Jaaved."

"Spike," was his only answer, taking the hand she offered.

"Spike," she said it slowly, "fairly sure I've heard of you."

He looked suspicious. "Yeah?"

She leaned over and muttered. "Bounty hunter right?"

"Yes. How'd you-"

"Oh you know, on the grapevine… my brother's a copper."

"Ah." That made more sense.

"So you been to Mars before?"

"I was born here," he shrugged.

"Miss it?"

"Nah not really."

She looked at him sharply, confused. "But it's your home."

"Not any more," he told her, "you make your own home. Mars was just where I was born. That's about it."

Shaheeha laughed, and took a little sip of the whiskey. "I wish I could think like you…"

He looked at her side ways. There was something awfully familiar about her. He wasn't sure he liked what it was. At the same time, he found himself… interested in the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"On Mars or here?"

"Here?"

"Hummm… I get asked that an awful lot, I still don't really know the answer. Guess I just like it here. What about you?"

"Don't even get me started…"

"Let's just say I have…" she smirked at him.

Spike wasn't sure how it happened, but he began relaying to her the past events of the day. Explaining about the bounty on a con-artist known as Eagle, with no real picture of her, the heist, the arrests and the frustration of having caught the wrong people. By the time he had finished he was on his sixth double whiskey and the woman was on her fourth, still smoking away.

She kept nodding at the right time, gasping, frowning, generally reacting, though she didn't comment.

"Sounds rough," she nodded, "maybe you'll get your mark."

"Maybe… I heard she was last seen on Earth."

"Didn't the girl you arrested say she was on Mars?"

"Mars is a big place."

"So's the solar system, you still manage to get your job done," she smiled at him and finished off her drink, and glanced at the time. She sighed and stood up. "It was nice meeting you, Spike, but I'd better get going."

He looked up surprised. "You have an appointment? At this time?"

"Ummm… something like that. Call it a family matter," she dug around in her wallet and pulled out some woolongs, "hey Stretch," she signalled to the bar tender, "this should cover my bill and his right?"

The bar keep looked at the tender and nodded.

"Then keep the change, keep topping him up till it runs out. Yeah?"

"Yeah yeah…" the bar tender walked back to the end of the bar, having lost interest.

Shaheena looked at Spike and grinned. "It's for the story. Nice meeting you Spike." She turned and made for the door.

"Uh hey! Shaheena!" he called after her.

She paused at the door and looked back. "What?"

"Will…" he hesitated.

She laughed. "I'll be here, same time tomorrow. Maybe I'll tell you an exciting story tomorrow instead." She walked, and left.

Spike was looking confused, nursing his drink. Why had he done that? There had been little point in that… but he had done it… never mind. The young woman was engaging, and if she hung out in places like this, she might be able to help him. Besides… she wasn't exactly ugly…

*

Three days went by, Faye won money on a few games, Ed was having fun on the computer games and Jet was updating the shop. Each one was keeping an eye out for a quick bounty and any extra information on the where abouts of Eagle, she was a big catch. In three days her bounty jumped up to thirty million after an apparent corporate business scam.

As for Spike himself, he managed to catch two more small bounties, both connected with Eagle. Neither could give him a description of the woman, just that she was fairly young and very clever. And every night he found himself in that same bar, looking for that same woman. In three days, she only turned up once.

Fourth day, he was hoping to see her again.

He grabbed his usual place at the bar, and ordered a whiskey, a cigarette at his lips as usual.

"Hi stranger," a vaguely familiar voice approached him. It was the first time she had turned up so quickly after his arrival.

"Hey," he looked over at her, then frowned. He could see the beginnings of a bruise just below her eye. "What happened there?"

She touched it, winced then shrugged. "Oh I had some trouble in the street, that's all."

"What?!"

"Oh don't worry, I never let a man hit me and get away with it," she smirked, "now then, dear, how have you been? Stretch, a drink please!"

As usual, Spike found he was the one talking and Shaheena was only listening. She asked him questions, about his crew, his job, his life, he answered all of it, but for most of his past. As for Shaheena? He knew she had two siblings, her mother was dead, and her home planet was Venus. That was it. No details.

He wandered if it was this lack of information that drew him to her. The mystery behind those green eyes, the life that seemed to radiate from her being. Whatever it was, it was making him feel strangely uncomfortable.

"So what about you?" he asked, ordering his next drink, he changed this time, to a scotch.

"What about me?" she was lighting up.

"I know nothing about you."

"Isn't it better that way?" she laughed, "people wasn't to know everything nowadays…" Spike looked at her, she was no longer looking at him, her eyes were misty, her expression distant, "I almost miss the old days… I mean the real old days… where there was some mystery to life… to other people. There was almost a romance about it."

"A romance?"

"Mmmm… the sort of… let what will happen… happen. There's a romance in that."

"Like lovers meeting by chance?"

She snapped back to reality and looked at him with a frown. "Lovers?" she shook her head, "oh my dear Spike, for all your tough nut attitude, you're still an old softy at heart. There is no such thing as love! Only lust and sex."

"But you said-"

"Romance? Oh that's a different story altogether. Romance is the aspiration to that feeling of love, it never actually happens."

He was shocked. Even his cynical self had a belief in love! She pouted.

"Awh… I'm sorry… I should learn to watch my mouth shouldn't I?" she smiled sadly, "it's just the way I think. And with that, dear heart, I shall be off," she slide off the stool walked around and put her hands on his shoulders. She deftly picked the cigarette from his lips and pressed a kiss there instead.

Spike himself was reeling, by the time he gathered himself, she had broken the kiss. She replaced the cigarette, and patted his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked, innocently.

He grunted in reply, he heard her laugh again as she collected her jacket, cigarette and change and walked out of the dingy bar. Spike didn't move for a while, running over what she had said in his head. It didn't make sense. The girl was not much older than he was, probably much younger. Still she spoke like someone beyond her years, and as if there was something she knew, and was keeping it that way.

He sighed, and swung his blazer over his shoulder and walked out. He would accomplish nothing by sitting on his ass dreaming.

*

More days passed. Spike saw Shaheena three times after that. She never brought up the kiss, but each time she bid him good bye, she'd kiss him again, and the last two times, he kissed her back, without even thinking about it.

Faye, Jet and Spike had been able to catch a few more bounties in connection with Eagle, but none could identify her, and none could give much of a description of what she was up to when or why. All they could do was confirm that she was in the city… somewhere…

"I almost think we should give up," growled Faye one evening, when Spike returned, having failed to see Shaheena that day.

"Why?" he asked, sitting down.

"She's not turning up anywhere, no one seems to know what she looks like, all we have is that tattoo to go on, and even then it's only a vague description. Face it… we've met our match. We should get going. What do you say Jet?"

"I'm with Faye on this one… we should get going."

Spike sat up. He didn't want to leave just yet. He felt like he had his own mystery to solve, he at least wanted to say good bye to her. "C'mon guys, give it a couple more days," he chided, "we're getting close, besides, it's not like we're loosing money by staying here. Faye's had better luck than ever with her gambling, and we catch pocket bounties almost on a daily basis. Thirty million woolongs guys- it's worth it isn't it?"

Jet made a face. "Maybe… but I feel useless just sitting on my ass-"

"Three more days, come on, just… three more."

"Fine!" Jet threw his hands in the air, beside him Ed copied the action with vigour, "christ why are you so insistent?"

"It's a lot of money," Spike smirked.

Faye just looked at him and shook her head. He was entitled to his own business… it was just that this was the first time his own business involved sticking around in one place for long periods of time for a functional reason. It made her somewhat suspicious.


	2. Adult Humor

A/N: This was the mature chapter I was refering to, I have to admit it's not my forte, so I'd like some feed back. Once again I'd like to remind any readers I might have that this is NOT a love story.  
Thank you ubergrif500! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Adult Humour

It wasn't until the second day extra that Spike saw Shaheena again. She was looking better, happier this time when she walked in. Her bruise had disappeared and the smile on her face simply radiated from her. She sat beside him, and helped herself to one of his smokes.

"You look happy," he commented, holding out a lighter.

"I am."

"Why's that?"

"I have a plan."

"You do?"

"Nuh uh uh, I can't tell you what it is yet. Otherwise the plan will fail. I never tell anyone my plans until I am certain they're going to work."

His face fell a little. "Listen… Shaheena… I'm going to be moving on from Mars soon, we have our next mark, he's on Europa."

"My sister's on Europa," Shaheena said brightly, "last time I spoke to her, she said it was lovely there."

He looked at her stunned. She looked back at him, the smile on her face was sad.

"I was expecting you to leave long ago… I just never thought you'd say good bye. I don't like good byes."

"Me neither."

"In that case, I propose we drink yourselves silly!"

"Now that I will second."

"Stretch! Bottle of whiskey, bottle of scotch and… bottle of vodka!"

The bar tender looked uncertain.

"We're paying you aren't we?"

He shrugged, and pulled up the bottles asked for and set them on the counter, and held his hand out for the money. The two split the price, asked for a couple of glasses and got started.

It had been a long time since Spike had drank alcohol to get drunk. And he was enjoying it. While they still spoke, they found themselves playing drinking games.

The night wore on, the drinking increased and the ability to make coherent decisions did just the opposite. While Spike was certainly not pissed, and neither was Shaheena, but the time they had finished the small vodka bottle, the large scotch bottle and started on the whiskey, the two of them were definitely under the influence.

"You know what?" Spike grinned at her, stupidly.

"What?" she looked at him. He leaned forewords and kissed her. It was clumsy, and childish, but his intent was certainly felt.

She laughed and pulled away, standing up, pulling him closer. "My place?" she muttered.

"Of coarse. I have children on my ship."

"Oh yes… Ed, I remember… strange name for a girl." She pulled on her jackets, picked up her belongings while Spike did the same and grabbed the whiskey bottle on the way out.

The two of them stumbled onto the street, turning off to the right. The two of them should have been relying on each other to keep in a straight line and keep walking, but they were laughing to much, stopping and getting distracted by the other's mouths, hand running through hair, clutching at skin and biting at necks.

Neither was sure how long it took to get to her place but half was through Spike apparently trying to take a chuck out of her shoulder she shooed him away and unlocked a door. She beckoned him in after her, and he followed quite happily.

As she led him up the stairs, falling over and crashing into doors and walls, Spike couldn't quite remember why he had even agreed to come with her. He didn't love her, he didn't even really care about her beyond a humanitarian point of view. And still he could not deny that he was drawn to her, it was the reason why that still eluded him.

They crashed into a final door, she unlocked it, and let herself in, Spike followed soon after and slammed it shut behind him. He caught sight of her dashing into a room on the right hand side, just before the small corridor opened into a modest size living space with a nice view of the down town.

He chased after her, and found her standing unsteadily at the foot of her bed in a room full of mess; paper, pens, books, weapons, clothes, shoes, bags… the place was chaotic. But it was hers, there was no denying that he had strayed on to her territory. It only served to excite him more. Delving into the unknown, no matter what content it was in, made him feel alive again.

He looked back at the smaller woman before him. The slightly built frame, the short black hair, the wide green eyes… she was completely different to the woman he truly loved… so it made no sense… why did it have to make sense. He smirked, reaching for a cigarette, he stopped then changed his mind. In one fluid movement, he put the whiskey bottle down, walked forewords, pulled Shaheena towards him and pressed his mouth hungrily to hers. The returned kiss was just as fierce, just as boisterous, as though she too were fighting for dominance.

He found himself pulled at his own clothes as she pulled off her jumper, then t-shirt and finally bra. He almost ripped off his blazer, his yellow shirt, black tie, then as if he could not be away from her, her pulled her back into his arms, the heated kiss returned. Only in their inebriated state, they lost balance, and fell unceremoniously onto the bed.

That was when the laughter started, as their heads banged together. She grinned as she looked at him, eyes unfocused, hair a mess, her skin streaked with red where he pulled at her to come closer.

"This might be a very bad idea," she purred in his ear, leaning against her elbows.

"Haha… you need to meet my friends… they say I live by bad mistakes… I live by instincts…"

"Best way to live," she muttered, reaching out and pulling him closer to her, her hand locked in his mass of hair, "only fun way."

Again the kiss was back, this time desperate. Her hands racked through his hair, down his neck along his back, as though she were getting to know every inch of his skin. He smirked against the kiss, letting his fingers slide down her spin, she shivered, pressing her body closer to him. His kiss wandered away from her mouth and down to her neck, she shivered again, biting her lip, the same thing happened as he bit down on the nape of her neck, she gasped.

The dance happened, getting to know every nook and cranny of the other's body, what made them gasp, sigh, moan. Finally Spike could no longer hold back, holding a woman like this, feeling her bare breast against him, her breath in his ear, reacting to ever little movement he made… it had definitely been far too long.

He slowed the kiss, down to a slow march from her belly button, up between her breasts, her neck, to her mouth again, as his long deft fingers unbuttoned her jeans, sliding them down her legs, discarding any underwear she may have worn with them. His hand slide back up her legs, sliding to the inside of her thigh, his kisses had paused at the space between her breasts, he could feel her holding back a gasp, the strong muscles tense. He smirked, and continued sliding his hands up her body to clutch at her breast. She moaned.

"Oh you're cruel…" she complained.

"I live by instincts," he replied.

He felt a strange swooping sensation and he found himself on his back, Shaheena's naked form straddling his crotch. Her mouth made an 'O' shape then she grinned. "Obviously… I didn't know I could have such an effect on, Spike…"

"You don't give yourself enough credit."

"Clearly…"

She leaned forewords, her hands on his stomach, squeezing her modest bust between her upper arms, rocking her body against his clothed member. He gritted his teeth, and closed his eyes, snapping out his hand and grabbed her hips, stopping the movement.

"Now that it evil," he snarled. He moved his hands down, and unbuttoned his pants. "I don't want these ruined… understood."

She battered her eye lids, but moved the pants away, leaving his boxers, which again she seemed to be reluctant to move. And the rocking motion was back. He grunted, she just liked teasing him. Well two could play at that game.

"You know these are good quality and…" he move his hand from her hips to between her legs, where her sex met his, "staining them would be a crime…" He pushed his fingers upwards there was a gasp, as he suspected, she may have been teasing him, but she was just as turned on as he was. She was just as frustrated as he was.

"No fair," she panted as he pushed up gently against the moistening opening, rubbing so softly, so gently, "no… no fair."

"Oh very fair."

He moved his hand quickly, and efficiently, flipped them back around, she landed on her back, her legs lock at his waist. She tried to move forewords, to remove his boxers, but now it was his turn. He grabbed her hands, pulling them back above her head, his sucked against her as his free hand caressed her breasts, her nipples in turn. She arched against his touch, wanting more, his hand travelled slowly down her flat stomach, down to her abdomen, his kissed too moved further down her neck, back to her sternum. He hesitated at her abdomen and grinned, his fingers tracing down her thigh instead.

"No don't ple-" she cut herself off into a gasp, as his fingers found their way to the inside of her thigh, moving their way up. He found her smooth as silk, moist and shivering as he got to know the most intimate parts of of her body, stroking her clit, at the same time as his lips and tongue played with her small beaded nipple. He could feet her body writhing and reacting to every single movements of his. He had total control of her, of this strong, secretive woman, he had complete control of her reactions.

His fingers slide down to her opening, he kneaded it a little, feeling the wetness spread across his knuckles, and slowly slipped one finger in, quickly finding her g-spot and rubbing her slowly.

"Oh!" the sound expelled from her lips.

Another finger.

"Oh!" this time a little higher.

His rubbing began to quickly, his tongue changed his attention to her other breast, biting, licking and teasing as his other hand rolled the bead nipple between his long deft fingers and thumb slowly. He could feel her breath quickening, as his fingers began to slide in and out over her faster and fast, her hands clutched at his hair, his shoulders, the covers, her back arched against him and her legs spread further welcoming him.

Spike's expression turned to a smirk, and he stopped, suddenly. Her eyes opened wide and she looked at him.

"Wh- what?"

"My turn…" he told her.

She took the hint, and rolled him over. She looked over him, and bent forewords, kissing his chest, down to and abdomen, to the waist band of his boxers. She paused, then smirked. Her teeth latched onto the elastic and pulled down, revealing the top of his now painfully hard penis. She pause and studied, almost experimentally, she reached down and flicked it with her finger. He groaned, but didn't move. She smirked, and rubbed the end slowly, as she pulled the rest of the boxers off the rest of the way, revealing him in all his glory. Her feet pushed them off entirely and she paused a moment to admire him.

"Should have guessed… you're a tall man."

He just smirked. "Yeah well-" the rest of the sentence was lost to a groan. Her lips fastened over the tip, and her tongue flicked gently over it, her fingers softly stroking the shaft.

He couldn't help it, he reached down, his hands clutching into her hair, putting pressure on the back of her head. Then he yelped. Almost sitting up, but she beat him to it. She pushed him back down, her hands firmly on as she pulled herself up.

"Nuh… no way… we don't play that way." Instead she pulled up so she was straddling him again, her hot wet sex was pressed against his shaft and he could feel himself throbbing to be inside her, but she was letting him. Instead that teasing rocking was back. This time against the bare skin of his dick, and it was driving him crazy.

Animal instinct finally took over. No more teasing no more games. He pushed her round, this time he was on top of her. She looked up at him amused. "All this going round is-" her sentence was cut off by a gasp. He didn't want games any more, he wanted sex.

He had forced her legs aside and pushed himself into her tight body. He felt her contract around him and gasp as he did so, he himself found himself overwhelmed with the perfect feeling of soft silken velvet of her body clenched around him. He paused only for a moment, time enough for her to adjust to him being there, for her body to understand what was happening, until he pulled out and pushed in again, repeatedly each thrust sending him deeper in deeper inside her, each thrust send a moan from her lips. Her legs came round to wrap around his waist, her one arm around his neck as her teeth bit down into his shoulder, her chest heaving with her pants.

His thrusts became harder, faster, her nails dug into his back, but that wasn't enough. He reached down, pulling her leg up and over his shoulder, pushing into her deeper, the gasps were coming faster, her moans longer and deeper. Still he wasn't satisfied.

They had lost track of time, all they knew was the pleasure mounting between them. But Spike wasn't satisfied and he could feel Shaheena below him mounting her explosion. Not without him.

He turned them over, putting her in charge, and her on top. She didn't loose momentum, even with the sudden change of position. She rode him onwards, pushing her hips down on him, rocking her hips against him, making use of every aspect of her body she could. She leaned forewords still pushing her body back and forth on his prick, biting at his skin, sucking at his nipples in return as his hands grasped her breast again.

Now he could feel his own pleasure building. The feeling of being with in her, feeling her body all over, the strong woman dominating him made him build faster. But he could not stand the idea of anyone being in charge of him for long. Viciously he pulled her back round, onto her back. He had half a mind to turn her onto her stomach and assert his dominance over her… but he got the feeling she would not let him. Instead he pulled her legs up, as he knelt over her, her legs over his shoulders as he drove down into her.

A scream ripped from her throat, part ecstasy part pain, but he wasn't going to stop. That feeling of her clenched around him still hadn't gotten boring and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

He dropped one leg again, pushing the other one straight, his thrusts were faster, harder, unforgiving, the scratch marks on his back were leaving rivers of blood, and the bites on his neck, shoulders and chest were going to bruise, as were where he had grabbed her all along her torso and breasts. Still he went, pushing himself further, he was sweating, and so was she. But as he sucked against her breast once more, holding her hands above her head, he felt her body arch against him, her body suddenly became much tighter. A yell echoed around her room, "Oh God!"

Her body felt limper, he knew her explosion of pleasure had come. But he wasn't done with her yet, he hadn't finished, and he knew damn well he'd make her do it again if he had to.

He pushed her legs away, and automatically it seemed, without any words needing to be spoken, she wrapped them around her waist and pushed her hips forewords, her arms around his neck, her own head pushed back as he kissed and bit her long slim neck.

"Next time," he grunted, "use my better known name."

"Uh… uh huh," was all she seemed to be able to manage.

Then it seemed all at once, Spike's mind grew blank, he only just heard Shaheena's little prayers of "Oh God oh God oh God", the animal had purely taken over, and he was beyond recognition. If possible he picked up speed, slamming into her hard, no regard of the consequences afterwards. Once again he felt her tighten, and this time he used it, he rode it out and just as she screamed, "SPIKE!" as loud as she could, he found himself groaning her name, and collapsing.

For a good few minute neither moved, neither spoke. Wordlessly, Spike wrapped his arms around her, as she let her legs go slack beside him. Slowly he eased himself out of her body, and lay beside her, his arm still around her shoulders.

"Well…" she said finally, "that was athletic."

He chuckled. "I was right about you…"

"Yeah?"

"You're a rough little bitch."

She chuckled, got up. She seemed to be in a little pain but she picked up a packet of cigarettes from the table near by. "Do me a favour," she said, lighting up, "could you move the cover from over the blanket? I think it's going to need to go in the wash."

He chuckled, doing as she asked, climbing into the bed under the covers. She handed him the cigarette packet and an ash tray as she climbed in beside him. He lit up, and looked at her.

"Now that was a pretty good mistake."

She laughed. "Thanks. It was fun I must say." She tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder. For a good few minutes the two sat and smoked, and recovered their breaths. Strangely it was not awkward in the slightest, almost as though it had been expected. It wasn't until half way through the third that Shaheena seemed to have recovered enough to comment, "hey, shouldn't you be getting back to your ship?"

"Nah… I can go later. I've got better things to do now," he smirked side ways at her.

She grinned. "I thought men needed half an hour before they were of any use again."

"Perhaps," he kissed her shoulder, "but with some encouragement…"

"You're not good at subtle hints…" her hand slide beneath the covers, following the contours of his body down, "better that way I think."

He took her cigarette, stubbed it out with his own and dropped the ash tray on the floor. "And I'll agree," he murmured, as he devoured her mouth once again.

*

He woke the next morning. His arms wrapped around the small frame of the woman who had so excited him the night before. The sunlight filtered into the room through the curtain, lighting her skin softly. He smiled and kissed her shoulder, caressing the soft skin on her side. She stirred a little, but didn't move. He sat up stretching, then stopped. He glanced sideways. There was a tattoo on her right shoulder, quite a large one. It was of an eagle, its wings spread, it's break open in a screech, claws stretched out towards the person looking. Tracing his thumb along the wings, he felt Shaheena shiver and turn to look up at him.

"Morning," she murmured.

He smiled again. "Morning. Good sleep?"

"Mmmhmm, you?"

"Yeah."

She sat up, reaching upwards, then rolled out of bed. "Coffee?" she asked, absently, picking up a short translucent dressing gown from the floor, pulling it over her toned naked body.

"Yeah sure," he lay back down, looking up at the ceiling. He felt something small and square land on his chest. He looked down, it was his packet of cigarettes.

"There's an ash tray on the table beside you, don't ash on my bed."

"Yes miss," he grinned, sitting up, lighting a white stick as he set his back against the head of the bed.

She walked out, huming something to herself.

Alone in the room, Spike remembered the night before with a smile on his face. He had needed that. Definitely needed that. But there was something bothering him. That tattoo of the eagle. Why was it significant? He knew very well that it was, but why…?

"Milk!" she called.

"No, just black!" he replied.

Then it struck him. Eagle… that was how she got the name! Eagle the woman with the large bounty on her head had a tattoo of her name sake on her. It had to be her! There was no way that she was some random person he happened to meet on Mars in the capital with the same tattoo on her body. It had to be the bounty head!

He scrambled to get out of bed, to find his gun. But there was a click. He stopped suddenly, frozen in his position and looked up. Shaheena was holding onto it, admiring it.

"It's a beautiful make," she commented, walking forewords, her hips swaying as she did so. Spike kept his eye on the barrel, moving back onto the bed. He was caught, literally with his pants down.

"In my profession you need a good quality weapon."

"In more than one sense," she grinned.

His eyes lifted to meet hers. There was no malice there, no murdering intent. From her wrap sheet she only had three murders under her belt, and he was beginning to wander what they were for. She didn't strike him as a murderer.

"You knew what I was," he stated, putting his hands behind his head, "and you still talked to me… still brought me back here. You knew I'd figure out who you were. Why?"

"I guess I liked playing with fire. Didn't take you as long to figure out who I was as most people. What gave me away?"

"Your tattoo."

"Beautiful isn't she?"

She was sitting opposite him, gun still pointed at him. There was another click, she had put the safety on and dropped it beside him. She fixed her hands on either side of his body, moving closer, studying him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She shrugged.

"Why are you called Eagle?"

"It's my name."

"Your name?"

"Where I'm from, Shaheena means high aspirations… it also means Eagle. I never changed my name, it's just been put in another language." She sat back, picking up the cigarette packet, and lit one up.

"You're not going to try and escape?"

"I'm completely starkers," she pointed out, putting the lighter down, picking up the ash tray. She got up and walked around the bed. "We both have to get dressed. And you're a man, you've got less to put on. I know I've been caught, Spike, I'm not going to risk my life by running away. I'm a young woman, I have a lot to live for." She got into bed beside him. "Besides, I like to have a smoke in the morning, especially if it's with a man I've had fun with the night before."

He looked at her, then shrugged. "All right. We'll go down to the police station when we're ready."

"Thanks," she paused, then reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "you're a good man."


	3. In The Bag

A/N: End of the experiment, I think so anyway. I hope you enjoy it.

In The Bag

They arrived at the station a couple of hours later. Shaheena wasn't handcuffed, but Spike had a grip on her upper arm. She wasn't struggling, and the two were still talking. He couldn't help talking to her, he found her intriguing. Most of what she said and insight, and was generally interesting. That aside, she was certainly very beautiful.

He reported into the station, and accepted the money on his card as the police man took down her details as well.

"This is good bye," Spike muttered, as some coppers came to take her away.

She shook her head. "Think of it more as… au revoir," she smirked, "I'll be seeing you, cowboy."

She was lead away by the police men, into a back room, for interrogation. They would be taking mug shots till later, there was too much information she had before they could even allow her the phone call yet.

Spike headed out of the police station, and wandered back to his racer. It was time to go home. But in the back of his head, he could not help but wander what had drawn him to her? He still couldn't answer that… moreover… why did he feel so bad about turning her in?

Shaheena was lead into a sanitised back room, an interrogation room, with a large mirror against the wall. She sat back, lighting up a cigarette, and made faces at the people she knew were standing behind the screen observing her.

Finally, after an hour, a police man walked in. He switched on a recording device, and muttered his name, her name, the date and time into the machine.

"Hello, miss Jaaved I believe," he commented.

"Oh call me Shaheena, please," she grinned, "miss Jaaved is so formal. I don't like it. What should I call you?"

The man looked taken aback. "Officer is fine."

"Well then, hi officer."

He blinked a couple of times, then launched into the questioning, about her past deeds. She made no real comment about them, all her answers were inane, almost insane considering the situation she was in. The officer was getting very frustrated, with her. An hour of this went by, and still they had made no head way.

"Are you waiting for a lawyer?" he snapped.

She shook her head. "I don't need one. I've studied law."

That stunned him. "How old are you?"

"Don't ask a lady such a question! I'm old enough…" she paused, "twenties… I'm saying no more! Besides… you should guess… what would you say… twenty one?" she fluttered her eye lashes at him.

He scowled. He could quiet easily do her for obstruction, but it was so easy to obtain a birth certificate these days they should know soon any way. They should have already found out a lot about her, he wasn't sure what was taking them so long. He half allowed himself a moment of worry, that this person had been thorough enough to do a way with official certificates of identity… it was hard to do… but not impossible. At the same time- what criminal thought that far in advance?

"Very well… we'll play it your way…" an idea struck him. The only things she had not openly taken credit for, were the murders. "Shaheena… why don't you tell me about those people."

"What people?" she sung.

"The ones you killed."

There was silence in the room. Absolute silent. Her carefree attitude fell away. The eyes fixed on the officer were cold and angry. He suddenly felt very afraid, but he didn't let on.

"What about them?"

"Why did you murder them?"

"It was not murder."

"Oh, so all three of those were in self defence?"

"Of coarse!"

"How so?"

"What do you mean how so?"

"The first for example-"

"They came at me! I didn't know I shouldn't have been in that side of town. He had a gun in his hand, I just didn't realise I had broken his neck till afterwards."

"The second?"

"She was after my sister."

"Your sister is on Europa."

"She was on Ganymede at the time. The bitch tried to hold Zarmina to get at me. It was either her or my sister."

Strangely the officer found himself sympathetic to both cases. "And the third one."

"More complicated. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

She sighed. "I had lost a bet. I paid the money but he wanted more… if you get my drift."

The officer paled a little. He was still a little green, the very idea made him feel ill. The fact that she was so casual about it made it all worse.

"There was no way I was going to pay more than what I owed, I even paid interest… and there was no way in hell I was going to use my body for something like that. So while he had his knife to my throat ready to rape me stupid, I shot him. Understood? Self defence, every single one. Not that someone on this side of the law would understand."

"There is a reason I stayed this side of the law."

"You can't help the way things turn out…" she looked away.

The officer paused. "Why did you let yourself get caught?"

"I was careless. Spike's a good looking man, I didn't realise he was a bounty hunter."

"The truth?"

She paused, picked up a pen are started scribbling a note. "That is the truth officer." The note read, 'off the record'.

He nodded. "Pause in the interview, as the witness wants a glass of water." He switched off the recording device. "They can't hear you in there. They left fifteen minutes ago."

She nodded. "There's a coup in the gang. I'm not a leader, but I am up there. If I hadn't gotten caught, I'd probably be dead."

"Is that why so many of you have been caught recently?"

"Yeah. I figured at first I should get the main players out of the way, but it isn't going to work. So if I got caught because the guy I screwed was a bounty hunter, I wouldn't be put down as a coward."

"Understandably… has the coup gone down."

"Nearly. And these bastards are blood thirsty. I know my lot were criminals, but we didn't kill anyone, not on purpose, and you know it."

He paused. "How about a deal?"

"I'm listening."

"We put you down for murder three for one of those and GBH for the other two, no intent to kill, that will be recorded as manslaughter, and if you give us the information to catch these people, and the evidence to put them away, we can have your jail time cut down a lot."

"I want immunity."

"What?"

"Not for the killings. What ever I was involved in with the people on the information I give you, I want immunity from those cases. And I will not appear in court."

"If the evidence you give is enough, you won't need to. What about the rest of your wrap sheet?"

"A lessened jail sentence, and I won't even go to court about it, if I like the deal."

"If not?"

"I'll go to court."

He nodded. "Deal."

He restarted the tape, and Shaheena sang like a bird. The officer could not help but notice the smirk playing about her lips.

*

Shaheena was waiting for her mug shots when the bastards who had tried to pull off a coup were walked in. All but one looked over her, they didn't recognise her. The last one waited until the end.

"You grassed us up," he hissed at her.

"And you were gonna kill me," she replied, "this way I win."

"You're still going to jail."

Her smirk was back. "That's what you think…"

She waited for them to be lead off, put into cells for over night. That was when they uncuffed her. So far she had been very co-operative, even friendly. One female officer had asked her why, Shaheena pointed out that while she was just doing her job, they were doing theirs. She had no intention of holding something against people who had done her no harm. Thus believing her to be relatively harmless, they dropped their guard. After all, they had never had dealings with her before. But this drop in concentration was their downfall.

As the officer walked her to the photo booth, she stopped suddenly, her hands into her stomach, doubled over. The officer stopped with her concerned.

"Everything all ri-"

Shaheena stood up straight very suddenly, smashing the officer in the nose, he reeled off backwards, crashing against a wall, knocked out cold. Shaheena reacted immediately while the rest of the coppers were too stunned to move. She spun round and ran. People tried to get in her way, they were either jumped over, knocked out and flipped onto their back. They tried shooting, but with so many people in the building it was too dangerous.

She appeared to have memorised the lay out of the building as in about ten minute flat she was out in the open air of Mars, with the coppers still trying to get after her.

She lost herself in the crowd of people trying to hurry home. Untying her hooded jumper from around her waist, she pulled it on, and flipped up the hood, imitating a moody teenager, fairly easy thing to do with her height and stature.

Soon she found her way back to her area and quickly made her way to her flat. She had very little time. She just needed to grab what she needed and get out. They'd be swarming the place soon.

*

Spike was sleeping again. He had told the other loosely what had happened, the main story too abstract for them to follow, but what they did know was that Eagle had been caught, he Spike had the bounty for her. Faye was furious, but happy with the small cut he had given her, considering much of the information she had helped collect, the same went for Jet. Though really what ever bounty was brought in all went to the collective food and fuel that was needed to survive and run the ship.

As he slept, Faye watched his prone form absently. He had come home looking somewhat dejected rather than in high spirits for the bounty he had brought home. He also had stunk of sweat and a woman's perfume. That had gotten her suspicious, that could really only mean one thing. Not that it was any of her business… her mind cast over the story he told… some woman he met in a bar… got drunk… he took her home… found the Eagle tattoo… held her hostage the next day… confession… police… there was something wrong with the story. She just could not put her finger on it. Though it was probably because of his dejected attitude after a catch that should have made him feel on top of the solar system.

She growled to herself and shrugged. What did she care, she mused heading over to the shower, Spike could do what he wanted.

As for Spike himself… Even in his sleep he felt uneasy. He could not help but feel bad for putting Eagle away, and he had no idea why. She was a bounty and a one time fuck, so why the attachment? It made no sense.

He grumbled and turned over.

"Spikeyyyy!" sung Ed suddenly, popping up beside his head.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Spike has telephone call! Ed answered, pretty lady talked to Ed but pretty lady wants to talk to Spike."

"Who is she?"

"She has a birdie name… Ed can't remember."

Birdie… Eagle! He sat up straight. "Where?"

Ed held out the vidphone, and bounded away, singing about birds and dogs for some unknown reason. Spike shook his head and turned his attention to the vidphone. His eyes widened. Shaheena wasn't using a police vidphone… she was using a ship's.

"What do you want?" he asked, "and where the hell are you?"

"Look out the window."

He frowned, running down to the window, where the shoughi board lay. Outside was a nice little pod fighter, a new model, and painted black and red. And he could make out the small figure of Shaheena piloting the thing.

He looked at the phone. "What are you doing here? I arrested you!"

She laughed. "Only because I let you. I've heard a lot about you, Spike, I figured if I was going to be caught you were the best to be caught by."

He scowled. "Thanks that makes me feel a lot better."

"You know… the bounty on my head's been double since my escape. Coppers don't have a record of what I look like, and their sketch artist sucks… you on the other hand are probably better at it… you're welcome to come after me, but I won't make it easy this time."

He studied her face. "Maybe some other time, Shaheena, we've got a mark, and we've got a long journey to go."

Shaheena beamed at him. "It was nice meeting you, Spike."

"I'll see you again," he promised.

She waved, and hung up. A moment later the little ship took off, fast, and over took them.

Spike grinned to himself and wandered back to the sofa collapsing on it. He handed Ed back the vid phone and turned over. He had come to a realisation, the reason why he had been drawn to her in the first place. She reminded him a lot of Julia… that vitality, the recklessness that radiated from her being… how full of life she was.

He could not help but feel better about the fact that someone like that was roaming the galaxy instead of being cooped up in some jail cell wasting away.

And he got to keep the bounty.


End file.
